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Rockies Short Hops: Game 2

Rockies Short Hops: Game 2

In < 25 words ...
Muted offensively after a first-inning run, the Rockies were unable to capitalize on four hits by Matt Holliday in a 2-1 loss.

Frozen moment
With runners on first and second and one out in the sixth, trailing by a run, the Rockies had Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe coming up. Curt Schilling was replaced by southpaw Hideki Okajima, who retired Atkins on a roller to first as the runners moving up and struck out Hawpe on three pitches.

Big number4 --
Retiring the side in order in the first inning on four pitches, Ubaldo Jimenez showed promise of pounding the strike zone. Gradually, however, the Red Sox succeeded in working counts and drawing walks, and Jimenez departed with two outs in the fifth after Mike Lowell's RBI double had Boston in front, 2-1.

Game balls

Matt Holliday
After a dismal Game 1, striking out twice and grounding into a double play, Holliday did his part to jump-start the offense. Four times the Rockies' big bopper stroked singles, but he deepened his frustration by getting picked off at first with two outs in the eighth.

Ubaldo Jimenez
A gritty effort by a 23-year-old rookie in his World Series debut at Fenway Park. Jimenez kept his team in the game by striking out David Ortiz to leave two men stranded in the third and retiring Julio Lugo to leave two more on base in the fourth.

Matt Herges
A stalwart in the bullpen down the stretch, Herges accounted for the game's biggest out when he retired the dangerous Jason Varitek on a fly ball to leave the bases loaded in the fifth.

Sense of October
In a classic power vs. power duel, Holliday fell behind 0-2 to Jonathan Papelbon in the eighth, then smoked a single past the Boston closer. But Papelbon got even when he caught Holliday napping at first with Todd Helton representing the go-ahead run at the plate.

Lines of the Game

HOLLIDAY

HittingHolliday
4 AB, 4 HComment:
Holliday showed plate discipline and skill in taking what was given him for base hits. But the Rockies were unable to put anybody in scoring position in front of their big gun.

Spoken
"You win 21 of 22 and lose two in a row, it's kind of an awkward feeling to come back in the clubhouse. We're still confident we're going to come back and make a series of it."-- Troy Tulowitzki

Lyle Spencer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.